


Sigmatism

by trr_rr



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Bullying, Food, Laundry, M/M, No Sex, Speech Disorders, prison romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-03
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-18 02:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1411036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trr_rr/pseuds/trr_rr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"There are various known causes of speech impediments, such as hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, intellectual disability, drug abuse, physical impairments such as Cleft lip and palate, and vocal abuse or misuse. Child abuse may also be a cause in some cases."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sigmatism

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what I was going for with this I just kinda went with it and it got over dramatic and sappy gayhawks soaring majestically.

"Misther Graham." Matthew calls, sliding a fresh set of boxers, a white under shirt and a clean jumpsuit through the same gap Will receives his meals.

"Thanks." Will takes them gratefully and holds them to his nose. The hospital does not use fabric softener like his mother used to but the familiar scent of soap flakes still takes him back to the lazy summers in the south.

"I'll be back for your old one-s." Matthew replied with a little effort.

Will nodded as he watched him push the laundry cart to the next cell.

He changed quickly and folded his dirty set. He sat on his bed waiting for the orderly to return.

"Y-you folded them." He mentioned as he came back around a second time.

"Mm. I like to keep a tidy house."

Matthew bit his lip to stop his chuckle, though he did nod. Will understood that the workforce couldn't be seen influencing the 'patients' in any way.

"Thankth- thank-s." Matthew smiled.

It was a genuine smile. Will hadn't seen one of those on another person in a long time.

\--

"Breakfathst."

Will stood at the bars of his cell the next morning and smiled a little when the orderly passed the tray though to him.

"Oh, I don't want brown slop this morning; I'm in more of a grey slop mood."

Matthew smirked and his eyes flashed with something like daylight, something Will had almost forgotten.

"I'll be back when you're done, Misther Graham." Matthew blushed at his nervous lisping, ducking his head and moving quickly off to the next cell.

Will found eating in his cell to be an ordeal, not allowed a knife, he had to cut his food with a spoon. Breakfast was easier though, he shovelled the watery porridge down fast so as not to taste it.

Gulping down the last of his cold coffee, he heard the squeaky left wheel of the food trolley return.

The orderly didn’t talk this time, just waited by the bars, gaze on the tray.

“Here.” Will offered, passing the dirtied cutlery and cup through before the tray.

It wasn’t like he could ask if the guy was ok, he shouldn’t and it wasn’t any of his business. Why did he even have the urge to talk with this man anyway?

“It’s not that bad, really. It’s like the food they serve in school. Don’t have to look so down about it, you’re not the one who has to eat it.”

Matthew’s eyes rose to Will’s face, taking it all in, making Will feel a little uncomfortable.

He took the tray and smiled, looking back to the office at the end of the hall, warily.

“I’m sth-sorry you have to eat thisth stuff. I alway-s feel guilty when my lunch break come-s around.”

Will nodded and Matthew nodded in reply, leaving Will to his empty cell and equally empty hopes for release.

\--

“Dinner time.” Matthew called.

Will had been asleep, one of the few activities he was allowed to indulge in here.

“What is it tonight, waiter?” He asked groggily.

Matthew coughed to hide his chuckle.

“Looksth like um, ssome sort of um, meatloaf.”

“Wow.” Will wiped the sleep from his eyes and took the food offered. “Fancy.”

Matthew had blushed again at having stammered over his words, forgetting his exercises the night before, _stupid stupid stupid_.

There was a moment between them. Matthew stood with his hands on the trolley and Will didn’t move to sit. They both just looked at each other.

Will’s eyebrows raised and he bit his lip before speaking.

“I don’t mind it, you know. I can understand you, just fine.”

\--

“Graham.”

Laundry day again, every second day.

“Hey, do you think they separate the underwear when they clean them? I don’t want mine going in with the rest, the colours might run together.” Will was ready for laundry call, stripped out of his jumpsuit in just his undershirt and boxers.

Matthew shook his head and _grinned_.

“I’m not ssure that grey _can_ run with grey Misther Graham.” He flashed him with a toothy smile and cocked his head.

“…” Will had his clean clothes in his hands. “Was there something else?”

“No.” Matthew smirked, leaning against the laundry cart.

“I need to change.”

“I know.” He replied, eyes roving over Will’s undressed form.

“Get outta here!” Will threw his old jumpsuit at the bars and Matthew walked on with a smirk and a cheeky whistle.

\--

“Misther Graham, jelly and ice cream.” Matthew alerted him at dinner time.

Will gave a blank stare at the mashed potatoes, gravy and what he presumed was sausage meat.

“That’s not funny.” Will smirked.

“I’ll be, be back.”

\--

“Wasn’t that bad this time. At least mashed potatoes are easy to swallow.”

Matthew found it heart breaking over the idea that someone as brilliant and charming as Will Graham was here, locked up with dark circles under his eyes, waiting for whatever terrible fate he might receive.

“Am I allowed to know your name?” He asked carefully.

Matthew smiled and tuned so his badge faced the bars, a little giddy that Will wanted to know him.

Will strained to see in the low light. He read the badge and bit his lip, staying silent with a sad look, turning away and simply passing his tray through the hole, waiting for Matthew to take it.

“What isth it?”

Matthew looked down at his badge, he always pinned it in place without looking before shift.

It was the same as always, his photo in one corner with “Baltimore State Hospital for the criminally insane” written across the top.

The hologram shimmered as he held it up to read, still attached to his coat.

He was horrified to read what some of the guards had scrawled and carved into the laminated plastic:

 

 ** _Mat-mat-_** _Matthew Brown : Orderly_

_Tran **TH** port, laundry **TH** ervi **TH** , meal di **TH** tribution_

**_COCKTHUCKER_ **

 

He huffed a pained breath from his nose and took Will’s tray without a word, face burning in shame as he quickly stormed off down the hall.

“Matthew.” Will called to his retreating form.

\--

It was a few days before Will saw his friend again.

“Hey.” He greeted at breakfast but received no reply, just his tray of grey slop and cold coffee.

Somehow it tasted a little bitter.

\--

“Graham.” Matthew called, passing the fresh clothes through the bars before moving on.

“Hey, aren’t you gonna stay and watch this time?” Will offered with a chuckle.

Matthew passed fresh clothes through to the next inmate with no reply.

He sighed, stripping off his shirt and boxers quickly, pulling the new underwear up and slipping into the shirt.

Will jumped when he heard a sound like rustling leaves.

It was small piece of paper, folded several times. It had been hidden inside the lining of his boxers.

He was discreet, picking it up swiftly and turning from the bars to read the note.

“ _Mr Graham I’m sorry but I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to talk to you in your cell anymore. The other members of staff have mentioned it more than a few times and even though I love hearing what you have to say I think it would be less hurtful if we kept it professional_ . _I’m really sorry. Please flush this paper._ ”

Will’s heart sank, he wondered what the other orderlies had said.

He was sure there was more to it than that, Matthew’s shame over his impediment caused him much embarrassment, and he just wanted a friend.

\--

“Breakfathst, Graham.” Matthew called in a miserable tone.

Will got up from his cot and looked his meal over.

He came forward as usual but grabbed Matthew’s arm instead of the tray and pulled it though the bars.

“Hey!” Matthew called out involuntarily.

“I think it’s cute.” Will whispered, lips pressed against Matthew’s ear.

“Brown, step away from the cell!” The guard at the end of the hall bellowed.

“What?” He replied, chest rising and falling in excitement.

“The way you talk, I think you’re cute, Matthew.” Will almost purred. “I like it.”

“Graham, get back!” A few guards were hurrying down the hall, Matthew dropped the tray.

“Say my name, Matthew.” He demanded, grip tightening on his upper arm.

“Misth-Miss,” He stammered, covering Will’s hand on the bars with his own.

“No, my name. The one you have no problem with.”

“ _Will.”_ Matthew gasped.

The guards smacked Will’s hand with a night stick, he let go immediately, cradling his battered knuckles and moving from the door.

One of the staff hurried Matthew away while the other two opened the cell and bundled Will into his straight jacket.

\--

“I’m sthorry you got in trouble.”

“It’s alright. It was worth it.” Will chuckled, the two days in solitary had been a welcome change of scenery after all.

“S-sorry I wasn’t there to put you in the jacket thith time. I know you panic.”

Will shrugged, taking the dinner tray from Matthew and smiling.

“You know, we’ll have to have dinner at your's sometime. It’s not fair that we keep meeting at my place like this.”

Matthew almost giggled as he pushed the trolley off down the hall.


End file.
